Flood-gate



(No Mddel.)

W. U. ROBBINS.

FLOOD GATE.

No. 431,917. Patented July 8, 1890.

F L yl.

Witwwoco UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM U. ROBBINS, OF LA PRAIRIE, ILLINOIS.

FLOOD-GATE.

$PEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,917, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed April 3, 1890- Serial No. 3%,414. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM U. ROBBINS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at La Prairie, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flood-Gates and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in flood-gates, the same being designed especially for small watercourses, and it is intended to be used as a sect-ion of fence over said water-course, so that when the stream is at its normal level the water will pass under the gate, and in case of floods the gate will be raised to give an unobstructed passage; and it consists in a sliding gate provided with an opening held normally closed by a smaller gate which operates a catch, so that when the small gate is opened the catch will be released and the large gate elevated by a weighted lever, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a front view. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view. 7

A and A refer to vertical posts, which may be set on each side of a water-course, the fence connecting with said posts, as shown in the drawings. These posts on their inner sides have vertical grooves a and a, in which is secured the gate B, said gate being adapted to move vertically in said grooves and rest at a suitable distance above the stream or watercourse. The gate B is connected by rods or links b to a pivoted arm or lever O, which is provided With a weight a, this arm or lever being pivoted to the upper end of the post A.

D refers to a small gate or door, which is hinged over an opening in the main gate, and attached to this smaller gate isaflexible connection or chain d, which passes over a guidepulley e, journaled in another opening in the gate 13, and this chain or flexible connection is attached at its opposite end to a sliding bolt F, which is spring-actuated in one direction, one end of the spring being attached to said bolt to throw the same into engagement with a notch f in the post A, as well as to hold the flexible connection (Z taut and the smaller gate D closed, so that it willcover the opening in the larger gate. The bolt is secured in suitable bearings attached to the main gate B.

In operation the gate is normally held down, as shown in full lines in the drawings, by the bolt f, the spring holding the smaller gate closed. Now, when the water rises above its normal level it will strike against the small gate D and open the same, and when so opened the spring-bolt will be retracted and the weighted lever allowed to elevate the gate 13 to leave an unobstructed passage-way between the lower portion of the posts. To reset the gate, it is only necessary to elevate the weighted end of the lever.

The device hereinbefore described is simple and is not liable to get out of order.

Having thus described myinvention,wl1at I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. In a vertically-movable flood-gate, the combination, with gate B, of the posts having guides, between which it is secured, a latch which is adapted to be operated by the pressure of the water, and a weighted lever for elevating said gate when the latch is released, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a flood-gate, of the grooved supporting-posts A A, vertically sliding gate B, having an opening, as shown, a smaller gate hinged to cover said opening, a spring-actuated bolt connected flexibly to the small gate, a pivoted and weighted lever, and links for connectingthe same to the main gate, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a gate B, provided with means for raising it automatically when released,said gate having an opening, a hinged gate D, adapted to cover said opening, a spring attached to a sliding bolt, a flexible connection between the spring-actuated bolt and also holds the smaller gate closed, substansmall gate, and a notch or recess in one of the supports, with which the bolt engages, the parts being actuated substantially as set forth, whereby the spring not only serves to throw the bolt into engagement with the notch, but

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM U. ROBBINS. Witnesses:

FERREE WALKER,

tially as and for the purpose set forth. ELIJAH WILSON. 

